Even before the coronavirus pandemic, companies supported growing numbers of remote employees and offered flexible schedules as benefits. And the demand for both was only increasing.
Suddenly, just about everyone who can work remotely is – so what are they really saying about the experience? CareerBuilder asked, “If you had the option to work remotely, post-pandemic, would you?” About 9% said definitively no, 12% said they’d want a mix of office time and remote work, and 78% said yes, they would want to work from home (which could include a mix, but didn’t specify).
You can check out the original post here, but here are the highlights of the conversation.
First, a mix of thoughtful responses about how physical environment affects productivity, engagement and overall happiness:
Most employees are enjoying work from home, whether it’s saving time and money on commutes and early morning routines, or simply having flexibility and comfort throughout the day:
But – several said they would like a mix of work from home and in-office time. The employees who are skeptical about work from home can provide valuable insights to HR teams and managers. The future of work is flexible, and companies can start preparing for how physically distant offices should function, from promotions to guidelines for socializing and running meetings.
Others miss seeing their coworkers in person:
And, of course, those who find humor in the whole thing:
Now, ask your own employees! Maybe your company has an internal social network for an informal poll, or your HR team creates and sends a survey for anonymous responses, but check-in with your teams for feedback on which remote-work habits should be prioritized and maintained.